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Need help to make "timeless" portrait photo's

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Analogski

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Hi,

I want to make some nice, "timeless" portraits of my pragnent wife.

I'm thinking about using my ARAX/Kiev-60 camera with a monstrous Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 180mm lens with 400TMAX film and Porta 160.

I'm also thinking about taking my Pentax 35mm camera with me for the shoot with the 85mm lens and the same film stock.

What lens is "better" fot the job? Or is it purely personal?

Also, all tips are welcome!

Thanks in advance
 
Yes, you do need timeless portraits! Been there; done that; Have the T-shirt to prove it (and a few great portraits). Those both sound like good choices. Reccomend that you use both and especially whichever you jave the most exerience with. If shooting outside in natural light, you may want to re-think the 400-speed B&W and consider something a bit slower to allow use of shallower DoF.
 
Both options are very good choices for portraits, although you may need to be pretty far away if you want a hips-up photo (which is normal for pregnancy photos - you'll want to get the baby in the picture). So maybe bring a "normal" lens as well (80mm for 120 and 50mm for 135).
 
Congrats on the family expansion!

I'm sorry, I don't know anything about timeless photos. All the photos we have that involve important family events are the polar opposite of timeless, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
 
Analogski said:
Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 180mm
Click to expand...

It's a great lens for portraits when you nail focus. Very shallow depth of field so you may want to practice with it for a while. The helicoid can be pretty stiff to turn if it's old. I've taken some portraits I've loved with it, but I've messed up more than I've gotten right. The Volna-3 80mm f/2.8 lens also works great for portraits and is easier. It has a nice glow wide open.

A 35mm lens is smaller and easier to use. Sometimes people want less detail in a portrait so the smaller format can be an advantage. It will also have more depth of field, making errors in focus less critical. Plus, you get more tries to take a good picture. This can go a long way. I don't find 85mm a very long focal length, I think it would be fine for including more of the body. 135mm would be more of a problem.

For B&W, if outdoor, I would shoot under the shade of trees (but not deep forest shade) and use a 100 speed film with not too high contrast. Green or yellow filters can help with skin tones. Acros would be a good choice, many others would work too including Kentmere 100. You ideally want some mix of directional and softbox light, a sunny f/11 with clouds only partially blocking the sun can be ideal. If full f/16 sun, go in the shade. If completely overcast, you might look into ways to add a little bit of directional light, but not too much.

For color, don't be afraid to overexpose Portra 160 to 100 or even 50 if necessary. A cross screen filter will lower contrast a little, as will many other kinds of filters.

Sonnar 180mm on a Kiev 6C (cropped to 6x4.5) and Provia 100F, shade under tree lighting

54527824004_0eec2da43b_k(1).jpg


Volna-3 on a Mamiya 645 with yellow filter and Shanghai GP3, shade under tree again

53751326968_a7f19b9719_k.jpg


Canon FD 135mm f/2.5 on Canon F-1 with Delta 100 (had to shout at this distance, not recommended) overcast conditions

52765372699_0679d0752d_k.jpg


Canon T90 with Jupiter-9 85mm f/2 on Kodak Ektachrome E100 (sunny conditions but made sure sun was behind her)

52836183090_277fef126b_k.jpg


All of these were shot wide open.
 
What have you used in the past that gave you results that you were happy with?
That is what I would use.
 
I think it is less about gear and more about your vision. You have great lens, great film, now it's about how you put it all together.
 
In terms of timeless, whatever lens and camera you use, I would use black & white film and sepia tone the image. Such aphotograph will last a hundred years or more.
 
What really matters for me in a portrait is the presence of the subject. I prefer people to not be 'posing' exactly. Most people will put on the expected photo face, but that's not the real person. Break through that. Make her pose, then don't snap the shutter for long periods. Yes, not fair but necessary. Ask her to think about looking in to the lens and having your child looking at this photo.

Well, as you can see, I am not that interested in the lens or camera. The photographer needs to be comfortable, so use he camera that you like more. And recognize the difference in 12 versus 36 frames at a time- each shot is a little more 'precious' in medium format, while each shot is a little more relaxed in 35mm (huge generalization).

Take your time. If the first shoot doesn't give you what you want, there's time for another try (I think- you didn't say how far along she is. Congrats to both of you!).
 
loccdor said:
It's a great lens for portraits when you nail focus. Very shallow depth of field so you may want to practice with it for a while. The helicoid can be pretty stiff to turn if it's old. I've taken some portraits I've loved with it, but I've messed up more than I've gotten right. The Volna-3 80mm f/2.8 lens also works great for portraits and is easier. It has a nice glow wide open.

A 35mm lens is smaller and easier to use. Sometimes people want less detail in a portrait so the smaller format can be an advantage. It will also have more depth of field, making errors in focus less critical. Plus, you get more tries to take a good picture. This can go a long way. I don't find 85mm a very long focal length, I think it would be fine for including more of the body. 135mm would be more of a problem.

For B&W, if outdoor, I would shoot under the shade of trees (but not deep forest shade) and use a 100 speed film with not too high contrast. Green or yellow filters can help with skin tones. Acros would be a good choice, many others would work too including Kentmere 100. You ideally want some mix of directional and softbox light, a sunny f/11 with clouds only partially blocking the sun can be ideal. If full f/16 sun, go in the shade. If completely overcast, you might look into ways to add a little bit of directional light, but not too much.

For color, don't be afraid to overexpose Portra 160 to 100 or even 50 if necessary. A cross screen filter will lower contrast a little, as will many other kinds of filters.

Sonnar 180mm on a Kiev 6C (cropped to 6x4.5) and Provia 100F, shade under tree lighting

View attachment 419098

Volna-3 on a Mamiya 645 with yellow filter and Shanghai GP3, shade under tree again

View attachment 419099

Canon FD 135mm f/2.5 on Canon F-1 with Delta 100 (had to shout at this distance, not recommended) overcast conditions

View attachment 419100

Canon T90 with Jupiter-9 85mm f/2 on Kodak Ektachrome E100 (sunny conditions but made sure sun was behind her)

View attachment 419103

All of these were shot wide open.
Click to expand...

Nicely done!
 
Thanks for the tips guys! I'll try to upload some pictures as example of what I'm going to want to try
 
loccdor said:
It's a great lens for portraits when you nail focus. Very shallow depth of field so you may want to practice with it for a while. The helicoid can be pretty stiff to turn if it's old. I've taken some portraits I've loved with it, but I've messed up more than I've gotten right. The Volna-3 80mm f/2.8 lens also works great for portraits and is easier. It has a nice glow wide open.

A 35mm lens is smaller and easier to use. Sometimes people want less detail in a portrait so the smaller format can be an advantage. It will also have more depth of field, making errors in focus less critical. Plus, you get more tries to take a good picture. This can go a long way. I don't find 85mm a very long focal length, I think it would be fine for including more of the body. 135mm would be more of a problem.

For B&W, if outdoor, I would shoot under the shade of trees (but not deep forest shade) and use a 100 speed film with not too high contrast. Green or yellow filters can help with skin tones. Acros would be a good choice, many others would work too including Kentmere 100. You ideally want some mix of directional and softbox light, a sunny f/11 with clouds only partially blocking the sun can be ideal. If full f/16 sun, go in the shade. If completely overcast, you might look into ways to add a little bit of directional light, but not too much.

For color, don't be afraid to overexpose Portra 160 to 100 or even 50 if necessary. A cross screen filter will lower contrast a little, as will many other kinds of filters.

Sonnar 180mm on a Kiev 6C (cropped to 6x4.5) and Provia 100F, shade under tree lighting

View attachment 419098

Volna-3 on a Mamiya 645 with yellow filter and Shanghai GP3, shade under tree again

View attachment 419099

Canon FD 135mm f/2.5 on Canon F-1 with Delta 100 (had to shout at this distance, not recommended) overcast conditions

View attachment 419100

Canon T90 with Jupiter-9 85mm f/2 on Kodak Ektachrome E100 (sunny conditions but made sure sun was behind her)

View attachment 419103

All of these were shot wide open.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great advice! And showing your beautiful pictures
 
Dan Daniel said:
What really matters for me in a portrait is the presence of the subject. I prefer people to not be 'posing' exactly. Most people will put on the expected photo face, but that's not the real person. Break through that. Make her pose, then don't snap the shutter for long periods. Yes, not fair but necessary. Ask her to think about looking in to the lens and having your child looking at this photo.

Well, as you can see, I am not that interested in the lens or camera. The photographer needs to be comfortable, so use he camera that you like more. And recognize the difference in 12 versus 36 frames at a time- each shot is a little more 'precious' in medium format, while each shot is a little more relaxed in 35mm (huge generalization).

Take your time. If the first shoot doesn't give you what you want, there's time for another try (I think- you didn't say how far along she is. Congrats to both of you!).
Click to expand...

Didn't thought about that. Great advice, thanks! My wife is 26 weeks now...

I just bought for a 100 euro's of film.... Let's hope there will be a couple of beautiful portraits to print.
 
This may be a little off beat, but if you happen to have a pet try including it in the portrait. They tend to relax people and present a distraction allowing for a natural look as opposed to a pose. Somewhat of an environmental portrait. Most of the time the pet reacts to the camera better than the person. It’s worked well for me when photographing my family members especially the younger ones.
 
I want to go for something like this. Surely out of my league, but still...I want to try to make something like this. Any tips of settings/focal length are welcome
 

Attachments

  • IMG-20260226-WA0004.jpg
    IMG-20260226-WA0004.jpg
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That example photo might very well be done with a cel phone.
The element that makes it is the lighting, and the posing, not the camera work.
 
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